Having the right motives and intentions, such as serving to help others come unto Christ and learn and live the gospel, is crucial for a successful mission.
Going on a mission requires selflessness and the willingness to face challenges, leading to personal growth and meaningful experiences.
Recognizing that mental health issues may worsen during a mission and transparent communication during the application process is essential to support the well-being of missionaries.
Deep dives
Choosing to serve for the right reasons
When going on a mission, it is important to have the right motives and intentions. Serving to help others come unto Christ and learn and live the gospel is the key reason to go on a mission. Any other motives, such as pleasing others or finding oneself, can lead to dissatisfaction and ineffective service. Choosing to go for the right reasons brings peace, growth, and respect from others.
Losing oneself in service and embracing challenges
Going on a mission requires selflessness and the willingness to face challenges. It is a time to forget about oneself and focus on serving others. This may cause discomfort and require sacrifices, but it is through overcoming challenges and selflessly serving that personal growth and meaningful experiences occur. Taking responsibility and learning from failures are part of the mission experience.
Understanding mental health challenges on a mission
Mental health issues are prevalent, especially among young people. It is essential to recognize that these issues may worsen during a mission. Those with mental health concerns should not assume they will improve or be resolved on a mission. Transparent communication during the missionary application process is crucial, as assignments can be adjusted accordingly to best support the missionary's well-being and service. Allowing missionaries to serve in different capacities, such as service missions, is a valuable option.
Acknowledging and supporting early returns
Returning home early from a mission, for any reason, should not be seen as a failure but as a decision made with honesty and wisdom. Families, ward members, and leaders play a significant role in receiving and supporting early return missionaries. Rather than focusing on disappointment or judgment, it is vital to show appreciation for their efforts, recognize their individual growth, and honor their decision. Understanding that missionaries may have unique challenges and needs allows for a more loving and supportive community.
The importance of not presuming and catastrophizing about missionaries
It is important to avoid presuming and catastrophizing the experiences and choices of missionaries. Each missionary has their own unique circumstances and journey, and it is important to maintain a positive and supportive mindset without jumping to conclusions or negative assumptions about their mission experience. Additionally, it is crucial to remember that missions are just one step in a larger life journey, and there are many other important aspects such as choosing a spouse, deciding to stay in the church, and selecting a profession or vocation.
Emphasizing the value of being virtuous and true to oneself
Being virtuous, which means having integrity and consistency in thoughts, words, and actions, is a vital attribute for missionaries. It is important to be true to oneself, to be the same person both internally and externally. Great missionaries possess virtues like integrity and avoid lying, even when facing challenges or personal sacrifices. True virtue requires courage and commitment, but the rewards are worth it. Missionaries should strive to be their best Christlike selves, embracing their unique talents and attributes while exemplifying virtuous behavior.
For this episode, we spoke with Jeff Strong about the experience of missionaries in today’s mission field, including the unique challenges and opportunities they face. This conversation was based largely on a document Jeff wrote, called “What One Mission President Would Tell His Own Grandchildren About Serving a Mission.” Jeff wrote this document after his experience as the mission president of the Bentonville, Arkansas Mission.
We found Jeff’s reflections on missionary work to be refreshingly candid and deeply insightful. He illuminated how in many ways, our culture can be afraid to share honestly what a mission can be like. It’s not “all roses,” as he says — and talking openly about the thorns doesn’t have to be a bad thing; not only can we be more honest about the mission experience, but we can honor the difficult parts of it that cause the most growth.
Jeff also emphasizes that not every missionary, or every young person, is the same — and that’s ok. He shares several experiences that show how God works differently in different lives, including different types of missions and different lengths of service — including the choice not to go, or not to stay.
Jeff has worked as a senior level executive at several multinational companies and has spent 28 years in management. He’s also worked as a consultant and private equity advisor, in addition to serving as a special project director at BYU’s Marriott School of Business, where he led the startup of the Marketing Lab. In 2018, he and his wife Sara were called to the Bentonville, Arkansas mission, where Jeff served as President until 2021.
